why don't you make clothes?

Another thread made me think about this, now I know some of you out
there do make clothes and some of you are converted dressmakers and
others of us have either never made clothes, or made one or two items
and not found it satisfactory, so I was wondering why that was.

Previously, I would have said, it's the sizing, the shape never looks
right, I can't fit something to a person, blah blah blah, then I
realised that was a silly thing to say, if I can fit a teddy or a
doll, I can fit a person. So my new conclusion is that it's the
fabrics that are more wearable and washable these days actually aren't
so good for a regular sewing machine, I wear a lot of stretch fabrics,
the threads that are better to use with those are expensive and the
fabrics aren't cheap either. Changing size was another thing I thought
off, I don't doubt my ability to fit a fixed size, problem is I change
shape and before you all go worrying about yo yo diets and what not,
the extremes of my weight in the last 5 years have had no more than 25
pounds between them and that's including two pregnancies, but even
disregarding my actual weight, or cyclical bloating, I still have an
uncanny ability to change shape, I'm always going to be a pear with
weight on my hips, but even so, in the last few weeks I seem to have
shifted that to more at the sides than on the back, leaving clothes
that fitted quite nicely looking baggy in the wrong places! So fitting
is an issue, but it's not my ability to fit, it's the body it's being
fitted to changing to much!

I would like to try making trousers actually, but then those I do
doubt my ability to fit, dress forms don't have legs, plus, you need
to have movement in trousers that allows sitting and standing and what
not.

My expectation is that I will get into all these fabrics because I
dance and so does my son and I expect my daughter will too, ballroom
dance costumes are very expensive, so where you don't save money for a
simple top from stretch fabric, the speciality nature of the ballroom
dance market means you do, but that's going to be one heck of a steep
learning curve!

Cheers
Anne

On May 16, 5:36*pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
Another thread made me think about this, now I know some of you out
there do make clothes and some of you are converted dressmakers and
others of us have either never made clothes, or made one or two items
and not found it satisfactory, so I was wondering why that was.

Previously, I would have said, it's the sizing, the shape never looks
right, I can't fit something to a person, blah blah blah, then I
realised that was a silly thing to say, if I can fit a teddy or a
doll, I can fit a person. So my new conclusion is that it's the
fabrics that are more wearable and washable these days actually aren't
so good for a regular sewing machine, I wear a lot of stretch fabrics,
the threads that are better to use with those are expensive and the
fabrics aren't cheap either. Changing size was another thing I thought
off, I don't doubt my ability to fit a fixed size, problem is I change
shape and before you all go worrying about yo yo diets and what not,
the extremes of my weight in the last 5 years have had no more than 25
pounds between them and that's including two pregnancies, but even
disregarding my actual weight, or cyclical bloating, I still have an
uncanny ability to change shape, I'm always going to be a pear with
weight on my hips, but even so, in the last few weeks I seem to have
shifted that to more at the sides than on the back, leaving clothes
that fitted quite nicely looking baggy in the wrong places! So fitting
is an issue, but it's not my ability to fit, it's the body it's being
fitted to changing to much!

I would like to try making trousers actually, but then those I do
doubt my ability to fit, dress forms don't have legs, plus, you need
to have movement in trousers that allows sitting and standing and what
not.

My expectation is that I will get into all these fabrics because I
dance and so does my son and I expect my daughter will too, ballroom
dance costumes are very expensive, so where you don't save money for a
simple top from stretch fabric, the speciality nature of the ballroom
dance market means you do, but that's going to be one heck of a steep
learning curve!

Cheers
Anne

I regularly make shirts and pants for myself, and all sorts of
dresses, skirts, blouses and whatever for my wife. I usually do that
in between quilts so that it provides a break in sewing style from
quilting. Quilting is quite repetitive if you think about piecing.
Clothing is very different in that it is made to fit, so it is three
dimensional. That is a whole other ball game. If you just take your
time and study the patterns and make any adjustment to the pattern to
account for size variations of your particular body shape, I find it
very relaxing. I am able to use the patterns, (Vogue), as they come
out of the envelope without having to do any alteration for myself.
When I sew for my wife, I do have to tweak the pattern a bit due to
"vagaries", which shall remain nameless, that relate to fitting for
her. I guess I am lucky in that regard. Burda patterns lend them-self
to tweaking as to size. You can adjust the dimensions within a 3 or 4
size variation in most areas of the pattern, so you get a better fit,
that pertains to your body shape. I do think most quilters have said
that they don't sew clothes any more. Probably that has as much to due
to the cheap off shore clothes that can be purchased in a finished
state, for less than the cost of the fabric for doing it yourself. I
just like to sew clothes, so that is why I still do it. That and
liking to get a perfect fit.

John

On May 16, 4:36*pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
Another thread made me think about this, now I know some of you out
there do make clothes and some of you are converted dressmakers and
others of us have either never made clothes, or made one or two items
and not found it satisfactory, so I was wondering why that was.

Previously, I would have said, it's the sizing, the shape never looks
right, I can't fit something to a person, blah blah blah, then I
realised that was a silly thing to say, if I can fit a teddy or a
doll, I can fit a person. So my new conclusion is that it's the
fabrics that are more wearable and washable these days actually aren't
so good for a regular sewing machine, I wear a lot of stretch fabrics,
the threads that are better to use with those are expensive and the
fabrics aren't cheap either. Changing size was another thing I thought
off, I don't doubt my ability to fit a fixed size, problem is I change
shape and before you all go worrying about yo yo diets and what not,
the extremes of my weight in the last 5 years have had no more than 25
pounds between them and that's including two pregnancies, but even
disregarding my actual weight, or cyclical bloating, I still have an
uncanny ability to change shape, I'm always going to be a pear with
weight on my hips, but even so, in the last few weeks I seem to have
shifted that to more at the sides than on the back, leaving clothes
that fitted quite nicely looking baggy in the wrong places! So fitting
is an issue, but it's not my ability to fit, it's the body it's being
fitted to changing to much!

I would like to try making trousers actually, but then those I do
doubt my ability to fit, dress forms don't have legs, plus, you need
to have movement in trousers that allows sitting and standing and what
not.

My expectation is that I will get into all these fabrics because I
dance and so does my son and I expect my daughter will too, ballroom
dance costumes are very expensive, so where you don't save money for a
simple top from stretch fabric, the speciality nature of the ballroom
dance market means you do, but that's going to be one heck of a steep
learning curve!

Cheers
Anne

I admire your resolve. I bet you'll be a fabulous dressmaker.
I love to quilt, and do a pretty fair job, I think. I don't make
garments
because I was scarred for life in home economics class. I still
have nightmares about A-line skirts with invisible zippers. :-(
Seriously. The only thing my home economics teacher successfuly
taught me was to hate sewing.
But I've been thinking about wanting a vintage-style full-dress apron,
made
out of feedsack-type fabric. I bet I could swing that one.

Sherry

I sometimes do make clothes, but I'm in jeans and t-shirts so much and
they are much easier to buy than to make. I've sewn just about any
garment that can be sewn -- lingerie, tailored jackets (including a suit
for my husband), my wedding dress, prom dresses, bridesmaids' dresses,
baby clothes, jeans. I just finished 3 summer outfits for the
granddaughters. Next project is a skirt for myself -- looks like a
pretty simple pattern -- hope it turns out that way.

Julia in MN

Anne Rogers wrote:
Another thread made me think about this, now I know some of you out
there do make clothes and some of you are converted dressmakers and
others of us have either never made clothes, or made one or two items
and not found it satisfactory, so I was wondering why that was.

Previously, I would have said, it's the sizing, the shape never looks
right, I can't fit something to a person, blah blah blah, then I
realised that was a silly thing to say, if I can fit a teddy or a
doll, I can fit a person. So my new conclusion is that it's the
fabrics that are more wearable and washable these days actually aren't
so good for a regular sewing machine, I wear a lot of stretch fabrics,
the threads that are better to use with those are expensive and the
fabrics aren't cheap either. Changing size was another thing I thought
off, I don't doubt my ability to fit a fixed size, problem is I change
shape and before you all go worrying about yo yo diets and what not,
the extremes of my weight in the last 5 years have had no more than 25
pounds between them and that's including two pregnancies, but even
disregarding my actual weight, or cyclical bloating, I still have an
uncanny ability to change shape, I'm always going to be a pear with
weight on my hips, but even so, in the last few weeks I seem to have
shifted that to more at the sides than on the back, leaving clothes
that fitted quite nicely looking baggy in the wrong places! So fitting
is an issue, but it's not my ability to fit, it's the body it's being
fitted to changing to much!

I would like to try making trousers actually, but then those I do
doubt my ability to fit, dress forms don't have legs, plus, you need
to have movement in trousers that allows sitting and standing and what
not.

My expectation is that I will get into all these fabrics because I
dance and so does my son and I expect my daughter will too, ballroom
dance costumes are very expensive, so where you don't save money for a
simple top from stretch fabric, the speciality nature of the ballroom
dance market means you do, but that's going to be one heck of a steep
learning curve!

Cheers
Anne

--
-----------
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus
http://webpages.charter.net/jaccola/
-----------

I'm with you on the t-shirts and jeans. My favorite thing to do
clothing wise is girls little frilly dresses. They just don't seem
to wear those any more though so I have given that up. I do a lot
of dh's shirts because he just likes the idea of having something I
make. I do go in fits and spurts on clothing construction.
Taria


Julia in MN wrote:

I sometimes do make clothes, but I'm in jeans and t-shirts so much and
they are much easier to buy than to make. I've sewn just about any
garment that can be sewn -- lingerie, tailored jackets (including a suit
for my husband), my wedding dress, prom dresses, bridesmaids' dresses,
baby clothes, jeans. I just finished 3 summer outfits for the
granddaughters. Next project is a skirt for myself -- looks like a
pretty simple pattern -- hope it turns out that way.

Julia in MN

As a dress and costume maker and teacher, my advice would be to start
with something basic and classic and learn the methods of fitting.
There are some excellent books that can help, from comprehensive
dressmaking manuals to start you off to specialist books on fitting.
Just ask if you want some titles to look out for.

Once you know your way round a garment, and can fit one, start on the
stretch fabrics. Make yourself some exercise clothing to start with,
and maybe a swimsuit or two! See if you like the stretch fabric sewing
before dipping into the deep waters... Fitting competition dance
dresses is a specialist field, as is learning the fitting for negative
ease in stretch fabrics. The fabrics themselves are not especially
difficult to handle using the right equipment. You'll need patience, a
serger/overlocker, and a steady hand and lots of time! You'll find that
a lot of your quilting skills WILL transfer, but you'll also need to
learn a few new ones...

Once you have made a few basic practice dresses to hone your skills, you
can start playing with some fantastic effect fabrics and all the
glorious Rhinestones, which need to be glued in one at a time! You'll
be getting into Swarovski crystals, hot-fix wands, special fabric glues
and all sorts! Some of those gowns take 40-50 HOURS just to glue the
stuff on after the basic frock is made...

I can see if I can dig out some of my suppliers of stuff that I gathered
on both sides of the pond when a customer asked for a quote for a Latin
dance dress for you after tomorrow if you like. (Tomorrow I deliver a
couple of wedding outfits - page boy uniforms based on Royal Artillery
of Foot, circa 1880-90.)

I make clothes because I love the challenge. I'd rather make historical
dress than plastic bridesmaids. I quilt to relax after the intensity of
the costume stuff.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

I've used a few Palmer & Pletsch patterns from McCall's (they are mixed
in in the regular McCall's pattern book). They include excellent,
detailed fitting instructions. I just bought this one for a jacket
http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M5558.htm?search=m5558&page=1. I
have a gorgeous batik fabric that I plan to use for the panels. It's
got a lot of colors in it, and I used those colors for a wall hanging
for a class project, but ended up not using the fabric I started with.
So it will go into this jacket.

Julia in MN

Anne Rogers wrote:
Another thread made me think about this, now I know some of you out
there do make clothes and some of you are converted dressmakers and
others of us have either never made clothes, or made one or two items
and not found it satisfactory, so I was wondering why that was.

Previously, I would have said, it's the sizing, the shape never looks
right, I can't fit something to a person, blah blah blah, then I
realised that was a silly thing to say, if I can fit a teddy or a
doll, I can fit a person. So my new conclusion is that it's the
fabrics that are more wearable and washable these days actually aren't
so good for a regular sewing machine, I wear a lot of stretch fabrics,
the threads that are better to use with those are expensive and the
fabrics aren't cheap either. Changing size was another thing I thought
off, I don't doubt my ability to fit a fixed size, problem is I change
shape and before you all go worrying about yo yo diets and what not,
the extremes of my weight in the last 5 years have had no more than 25
pounds between them and that's including two pregnancies, but even
disregarding my actual weight, or cyclical bloating, I still have an
uncanny ability to change shape, I'm always going to be a pear with
weight on my hips, but even so, in the last few weeks I seem to have
shifted that to more at the sides than on the back, leaving clothes
that fitted quite nicely looking baggy in the wrong places! So fitting
is an issue, but it's not my ability to fit, it's the body it's being
fitted to changing to much!

I would like to try making trousers actually, but then those I do
doubt my ability to fit, dress forms don't have legs, plus, you need
to have movement in trousers that allows sitting and standing and what
not.

My expectation is that I will get into all these fabrics because I
dance and so does my son and I expect my daughter will too, ballroom
dance costumes are very expensive, so where you don't save money for a
simple top from stretch fabric, the speciality nature of the ballroom
dance market means you do, but that's going to be one heck of a steep
learning curve!

Cheers
Anne

--
-----------
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus
http://webpages.charter.net/jaccola/
-----------

there's something about making clothes that really is boring for me -
to think about making a new dress feels like a chore rather than a
pleasure. I love imagining how to embellish or design something new -
but the actual work of it, on thanks.

Musicmaker

I did tweak a pattern incorporating many different techniques to make shirts
for myself but
then couldn't find shirting fabrics...real shirtings ..not just prints. I
did make one
shirt and used a quilting fabric but realized that I didn't like looking at
the back
of the fabric when I rolled up the sleeves. The fabrics just aren't
available --at least
easily . And right now I'd love to make myself some shirts because now the
way
they are made are not to my liking...no pleat in the back and a very fitted
look are
the shirts that I see for sale. I still like the old style that has been
for sale for many years--
maybe they are out there but I haven't found them ! I think that men's
shirts are still made
the same but apparently manufacturers think that all women want close
fitting shirts.
Mary



"John" wrote in message
...
On May 16, 5:36 pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
Another thread made me think about this, now I know some of you out
there do make clothes and some of you are converted dressmakers and
others of us have either never made clothes, or made one or two items
and not found it satisfactory, so I was wondering why that was.

Previously, I would have said, it's the sizing, the shape never looks
right, I can't fit something to a person, blah blah blah, then I
realised that was a silly thing to say, if I can fit a teddy or a
doll, I can fit a person. So my new conclusion is that it's the
fabrics that are more wearable and washable these days actually aren't
so good for a regular sewing machine, I wear a lot of stretch fabrics,
the threads that are better to use with those are expensive and the
fabrics aren't cheap either. Changing size was another thing I thought
off, I don't doubt my ability to fit a fixed size, problem is I change
shape and before you all go worrying about yo yo diets and what not,
the extremes of my weight in the last 5 years have had no more than 25
pounds between them and that's including two pregnancies, but even
disregarding my actual weight, or cyclical bloating, I still have an
uncanny ability to change shape, I'm always going to be a pear with
weight on my hips, but even so, in the last few weeks I seem to have
shifted that to more at the sides than on the back, leaving clothes
that fitted quite nicely looking baggy in the wrong places! So fitting
is an issue, but it's not my ability to fit, it's the body it's being
fitted to changing to much!

I would like to try making trousers actually, but then those I do
doubt my ability to fit, dress forms don't have legs, plus, you need
to have movement in trousers that allows sitting and standing and what
not.

My expectation is that I will get into all these fabrics because I
dance and so does my son and I expect my daughter will too, ballroom
dance costumes are very expensive, so where you don't save money for a
simple top from stretch fabric, the speciality nature of the ballroom
dance market means you do, but that's going to be one heck of a steep
learning curve!

Cheers
Anne

I regularly make shirts and pants for myself, and all sorts of
dresses, skirts, blouses and whatever for my wife. I usually do that
in between quilts so that it provides a break in sewing style from
quilting. Quilting is quite repetitive if you think about piecing.
Clothing is very different in that it is made to fit, so it is three
dimensional. That is a whole other ball game. If you just take your
time and study the patterns and make any adjustment to the pattern to
account for size variations of your particular body shape, I find it
very relaxing. I am able to use the patterns, (Vogue), as they come
out of the envelope without having to do any alteration for myself.
When I sew for my wife, I do have to tweak the pattern a bit due to
"vagaries", which shall remain nameless, that relate to fitting for
her. I guess I am lucky in that regard. Burda patterns lend them-self
to tweaking as to size. You can adjust the dimensions within a 3 or 4
size variation in most areas of the pattern, so you get a better fit,
that pertains to your body shape. I do think most quilters have said
that they don't sew clothes any more. Probably that has as much to due
to the cheap off shore clothes that can be purchased in a finished
state, for less than the cost of the fabric for doing it yourself. I
just like to sew clothes, so that is why I still do it. That and
liking to get a perfect fit.

John

Howdy!

"why don't you make clothes?"

Like shopping at Wallyworld: don't have to, can't make me.
g

R/Sandy


On 5/16/08 8:44 PM, in article eMqXj.50$sX5.40@trnddc02, "Taria"
wrote:

I'm with you on the t-shirts and jeans. My favorite thing to do
clothing wise is girls little frilly dresses. They just don't seem
to wear those any more though so I have given that up. I do a lot
of dh's shirts because he just likes the idea of having something I
make. I do go in fits and spurts on clothing construction.
Taria